Jimmy Smits
Actor, Producer
July 9, 1955 (70 years)
Jimmy Smits is an American actor. Smits is perhaps best known for his roles as attorney Victor Sifuentes on the 1980s legal drama L.A. Law, as NYPD Detective Bobby Simone on the 1990s police drama NYPD Blue, and as U.S. Congressman Matt Santos on The West Wing. He is also notable for his portrayal of Bail Organa in the Star Wars franchise, and Miguel Prado in Dexter.
Beginning in 1986, Smits played Victor Sifuentes in the first five seasons of the NBC television Steven Bochco legal drama L.A. Law, for which he was nominated for six Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, winning in 1990. In 1999, Smits received the HOLA Award for Excellence from the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA).
He appeared in films including Switch (1991), My Family (1995), The Jane Austen Book Club (2007).
Smits appeared as Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005), in which the character becomes Princess Leia's adoptive father. He reappeared as Bail Organa in the game Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (2008) and the spinoff movie Rogue One (2016). He later reprised the role for Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022).
Smits played the role of Congressman Matt Santos of Houston, Texas, in the final two seasons of the NBC television drama The West Wing.
In Dexter season 3, he played the role of Miguel Prado, an assistant district attorney who befriends the title character. He was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for the role.
He portrayed the character Alex Vega in the CBS TV series Cane, which aired from September 25, 2007, to December 18, 2007, and was subsequently canceled by the network due to the 2007 Screen Writer's Guild strike.
In the fall of 2010, he starred in NBC's short-lived series Outlaw, about a U.S. Supreme Court justice who leaves the bench to return to practicing law. From 2012 to 2014, he joined the main cast of Sons of Anarchy as Nero Padilla. He also portrayed Elijah Strait in the short-lived NBC drama series Bluff City Law.
He starred in The Get Down, a musical drama television series which debuted in 2016 on Netflix. In 2021, He played Kevin Rosario in the musical film In the Heights.
He stars as Chief John Suarez on the CBS police drama East New York.
Beginning in 1986, Smits played Victor Sifuentes in the first five seasons of the NBC television Steven Bochco legal drama L.A. Law, for which he was nominated for six Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, winning in 1990. In 1999, Smits received the HOLA Award for Excellence from the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA).
He appeared in films including Switch (1991), My Family (1995), The Jane Austen Book Club (2007).
Smits appeared as Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005), in which the character becomes Princess Leia's adoptive father. He reappeared as Bail Organa in the game Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (2008) and the spinoff movie Rogue One (2016). He later reprised the role for Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022).
Smits played the role of Congressman Matt Santos of Houston, Texas, in the final two seasons of the NBC television drama The West Wing.
In Dexter season 3, he played the role of Miguel Prado, an assistant district attorney who befriends the title character. He was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for the role.
He portrayed the character Alex Vega in the CBS TV series Cane, which aired from September 25, 2007, to December 18, 2007, and was subsequently canceled by the network due to the 2007 Screen Writer's Guild strike.
In the fall of 2010, he starred in NBC's short-lived series Outlaw, about a U.S. Supreme Court justice who leaves the bench to return to practicing law. From 2012 to 2014, he joined the main cast of Sons of Anarchy as Nero Padilla. He also portrayed Elijah Strait in the short-lived NBC drama series Bluff City Law.
He starred in The Get Down, a musical drama television series which debuted in 2016 on Netflix. In 2021, He played Kevin Rosario in the musical film In the Heights.
He stars as Chief John Suarez on the CBS police drama East New York.
Known For
Filmography
| 2025 | Dexter: Resurrection · as Miguel Prado |
| 2022 | East New York · as Chief John Suarez |
| 2022 | Andor: A Disney+ Day Special Look · as Bail Organa (archive Footage) (uncredited) |
| 2022 | Obi-Wan Kenobi · as Senator Bail Organa |
| 2021 | In the Heights · as Kevin Rosario |
| 2020 | The Tax Collector · as The Wizard |
| 2019 | Bluff City Law · as Elijah Strait |
| 2017 | Who We Are Now · as Carl |
| 2016 | 24: Legacy · as Senator John Donovan |
| 2016 | Rogue One: A Star Wars Story · as Bail Organa |
| 2016 | The Get Down · as Francisco 'papa Fuerte' Cruz |
| 2016 | Full Frontal with Samantha Bee · as Dr. Fauci |
| 2014 | How to Get Away with Murder · as Isaac Roa |
| 2013 | Brooklyn Nine-Nine · as Victor Santiago |
| 2010 | Outlaw · as Cyrus Garza |
| 2009 | Mother and Child · as Paco |
| 2009 | Latin Music USA · as Narrator |
| 2009 | Backyard · as Mickey Santos |
| 2008 | Sons of Anarchy · as Nero Padilla |
| 2007 | The Jane Austen Book Club · as Daniel |
| 2007 | Cane · as Alex Vega |
| 2006 | Dexter · as Miguel Prado |
| 2005 | Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith · as Senator Bail Organa |
| 2005 | Lackawanna Blues · as Ruben Santiago Sr. |
| 2002 | Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones · as Senator Bail Organa |
| 2001 | |
| 2000 | Bless the Child · as Agent John Travis |
| 2000 | Adventures in Wild California · as Narrator |
| 2000 | Price of Glory · as Arturo Ortega |
| 2000 | The Million Dollar Hotel · as GeronimoOn Plex |
| 1999 | The West Wing · as Matthew Santos |
| 1997 | Lesser Prophets · as Mike |
| 1997 | Mother Goose: A Rappin' and Rhymin' Special · as Old King Cole (voice) |
| 1997 | Murder in Mind · as Peter Walker |
| 1996 | Marshal Law · as Jack Coleman |
| 1995 | The Last Word · as Actor (martin)On Plex |
| 1995 | My Family · as Jimmy |
| 1995 | Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child · as Old King Cole (voice) |
| 1995 | Solomon & Sheba · as King Solomon |
| 1994 | The Cisco Kid · as Cisco Kid |
| 1993 | NYPD Blue · as Bobby Simone |
| 1993 | Gross Misconduct · as Justin Thorne |
| 1993 | The Tommyknockers · as Jim 'gard' Gardner |
| 1992 | |
| 1992 | The Broken Cord · as David Norwell |
| 1991 | Fires Within · as Nestor |
| 1991 | Switch · as Walter Stone |
| 1990 | Cop Rock · as Victor Sifuentes (uncredited) |
| 1990 | Vital Signs · as Dr. David Redding |
| 1989 | Old Gringo · as Gen. Tomas Arroyo |
| 1988 | Mickey's 60th Birthday · as Victor Sifuentes |
| 1988 | Glitz · as Vincent Marra |
| 1987 | Stamp of a Killer · as Richard BradenOn Plex |
| 1987 | The Highwayman · as Bo Ziker |
| 1987 | The Believers · as Tom Lopez |
| 1986 | Hotshot · as Stars Team MemberOn Plex |
| 1986 | L.A. Law · as Victor Sifuentes |
| 1986 | Pee-wee's Playhouse · as Johnny WilsonOn Plex |
| 1986 | Running Scared · as Julio Gonzales |
| 1986 | Rockabye · as 2nd Policeman |
| 1985 | |
| 1984 | Miami Vice: Brother's Keeper · as Eddie Rivera |
| 1984 | Miami Vice · as Eddie Rivera |
| 1975 | Ryan's Hope · as Jimmy |
| 1970 | All My Children · as Quon |
| 1964 | Another World · as Bartender |
| 2019 | |
| 2010 | |
| 2007 |